The creation of a Municipal Youth Assembly, as well as the introduction of the Portuguese Sign Language translation service and its online transmission at the Municipal Assembly sessions, earned the Municipal Assemblies of Lagos and Loulé two Honorable Mentions in the 4th edition of the ANAM Awards. .
The “ANAM Awards”, launched at national level, aim to recognize the best works and good practices related to the valorization and dignification of Municipal Assemblies, as well as their role in the democratic organization of municipalities.
The ability to promote greater community involvement, as well as its inspiring character for other Municipal Assemblies, were two of the aspects that led the ANAM Awards jury to award Honorable Mentions to the Municipal Assemblies of Lagos and Loulé.
Lagos: A new “school of democracy and citizenship”:
The creation of a Municipal Youth Assembly, representative and elected by the young people of the Schools of the Municipality of Lagos, was one of the initiatives that, promoted by the Municipal Assembly of Lagos, deserved an Honorable Mention, awarded in the Best Practices Award in Municipal Assemblies category.
The Lagos Municipal Assembly, recognizing the importance of promoting the participation of citizens, and especially young people in the life of the Lacobrigensian community and in municipal decisions, created a new parliamentary body: the Municipal Youth Assembly, representative and elected by young people from schools. of the Municipality, in which a new “school of democracy and citizenship” was born.
Endowed with great dynamism, the sessions appear as spaces where young people question the Municipality and present proposals on matters of municipal interest, which are then always appreciated in the Municipal Assembly.
Each School, with the support and involvement of the teachers, develops an internal electoral process, in which each participating List promotes the electoral campaign, with the results being calculated using the d'Hondt method.
For Maria Joaquina Matos, president of the Municipal Assembly of Lagos, “this innovative experience of the Municipality of Lagos of participation of young people in municipal life (unparalleled nationally, at the time of its creation), which began in 2001, has been assert itself since that date, due to the quality and enthusiasm of the young people, who have had the full support of teachers, IEFP trainers and local elected officials”.
Loulé: the true inclusive democracy
The introduction of the translation service into Portuguese Sign Language and its online transmission in the sessions of the Municipal Assembly of Loulé was another of the Good Practices that deserved the highlight of the ANAM Awards, as an important inclusive practice, regarding the access and exercise of Democracy.
Since the beginning of this mandate, the Municipal Assembly of Loulé has promoted the translation service in all Municipal Assemblies, in favor of full accessibility that leads to the personal and social integration of all its citizens.
For Carlos Silva Gomes, president of the Loulé Municipal Assembly, “the online dissemination of the Assemblies with translation into Portuguese Sign Language has contributed to combating the isolation of these people, encouraging their participation in community and political life and making them truly feel integral part of the local community”.
“This practice in use in the Municipality of Loulé, through the Municipal Assembly, replicated in all Municipalities of the Country, would greatly contribute to a real integration and participation of Deaf people in public, political and community life and to a true equality of opportunities for the deaf. management access res publica”, adds the mayor.
Albino Almeida, president of ANAM, considers it extremely important to share the good practices that have been implemented by the Municipal Assemblies, which are important to promote greater elevation and dignification of local power, as well as greater proximity to the populations.
“In recent years, we have witnessed the people coming closer to the local authorities. There is in fact a recognition of the growing importance of the important role played by deliberative bodies such as the MA. I believe that much of this proximity is fostered by the growth of local Democracy and, above all, by the work developed by the AM that are increasingly present in the lives of their citizens, as an active voice of collective interests”.
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